The Huntsville Gourd Patch, formed in May 2005, is one of the Patches in the Alabama Gourd Society. They usually meet twice a month except for October and December.  October is used to get ready for the Alabama Gourd Society Show in Cullman.  In December they have a Christmas party but no workshops.  For ten months of the year they have two monthly workshops. An All-Day Saturday  workshop is held once a month at the Hobby House in Owens Cross Roads, from 9a.m to 4p.m. The cost is $15 for members, and $25 for non-members, with all materials and gourds supplied. The second  workshop of the month is at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens on the 3^rd Tuesday night of the month from 6:30p.m to 9p.m. The cost is $10 for members, and $15 for non-members, with all materials and gourds supplied. If needed, you may be asked to bring special tools, such as saws, wood burners, gouges etc. to the workshops. You will be notified of this through email from Jean Mann. If you do not have access to email, you may give her a call for more information.

The Huntsville Gourd Patch has been a very busy group since their beginning in 2005.   For the 2005 Alabama Gourd Festival they made a gourd quilt for display, which is shown at the right.  They created a unique gourd totem pole that has been setup several times.  For several years they have created a gourd themed entry in the Scarecrow Trail at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens.  Some of those gourd displays have been setup at the ALGS shows and also at a Gourd Education Day they sponsored.  They have a gourd Christmas tree at the Huntsville Public Library each Christmas. Since 2008, they have had a booth at the ALGS show to sell some of the gourds crafted by the patch members and also had a “Make and Take” area for gourd enthusiasts of all ages to try their hand at decorating a gourd.  Several of their members have now become very active in selling their crafted gourds at nearby state gourd shows and other locations in Alabama and Tennessee.  

The workshops for 2012 are listed below.  The members of the Huntsville Gourd Patch would like to invite anyone interested in their workshops to come and participate.  If you would like to receive email notices about the workshops, contact Jean Mann  mannen@nehp.net to be added to her list.

            The Once a Month All-Day Saturday Workshop:
The schedule for those workshops is shown below. They occur on either the first or second Saturday of the month. The workshop is at the Hobby House in Owens Cross Roads, Al. from 9a.m. to 4p.m. The cost for the workshop is $15 for members, and $25 for non-members, with the gourd and all supplies provided. Some of the workshops will need special tools.  If you are planning to attend a workshop, you will want to be on Jean Mann’s email list so you will be informed about the workshop and be notified of any special tools you will need to bring.  They take a break around noon for lunch.  You may bring your own lunch, or join those who will be ordering take-out from one of the local restaurants. Coffee, water, diet & regular soft drinks are available at the Hobby House.

The Tuesday Night Workshop on the 3rd Tuesday of the Month:
This workshop is held in the Educational Class room in the Visitor's Center at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens located on Bob Wallace Avenue. The time is 6:30p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with 30 minutes of discussion and planning followed by the workshop.  The cost for each workshop is $10 for members, and $15 for non-members, with the gourd and all supplies and materials provided. 

Directions to the Hobby House: where we will be having the Saturday workshop.  So for those of you needing directions, here they are. When you have found it once, it will be easy the next time.

From Huntsville via Highway 431 South:  Go south on Highway 431 (same as Governors Drive). Go over Monte Sano Mountain, and stay on Hwy 431 going through the traffic light at Hampton Cove. This is the first traffic light you will come to after you cross the mountain.(Mileage from California Drive to traffic light at Hampton Cove is 7.3 miles)  Continue on through the next traffic light at Taylor Road Hwy. 431 (a new traffic light that was put in recently) until you come to the  traffic light at Owens Cross Roads, the third traffic light from Huntsville. Turn right and you will be on Wilson Mann Road(Mileage from Hampton Cove to Owens Cross Roads is 5.5 miles)  You will go about a quarter of a mile on Wilson Mann Road and pass the Owens Cross Roads School. It will come to a dead end at the Old Hwy 431 Turn left, (Baker's hardware store will be on the right corner) and go about a quarter of a mile. The house is on the left. It is an older house (cream colored with green trim). The address is 3117 Old Hwy 431. Look for the Huntsville Gourd Patch sign in the yard 

From the South via Hwy 231 and  Hobbs Island Road:  If you are coming into Huntsville on Hwy 231, turn right at the first traffic light after you cross the bridge over the Tennessee River.  You will be on Hobbs Island Road.  Stay on that road until you cross the long bridge over the Flint River. You will go a few miles further and come to Hill Road, that only turns left. The next road, Oak Grove Road is just a head and only turns right. Turn left on Hill Road.  When it dead ends into Old Hwy 431, turn left and you will be headed into Owens Cross Roads. You will pass the Owens Cross Roads Church of Christ. The next road is Carpenter Road. The Hobby House is fourth house beyond that on the right. The address is 3117 Old Hwy 431.  Look for the sign in the yard.  If you miss Hill Road, you will come to the traffic light where Hobbs Island Road runs into Hwy 431 south.  At that point you can back track or follow the instructions below for coming from the south.

From the South via Hwy 431: If you are coming from the direction of Guntersville there is a traffic light at New Hope.  It is where Hobbs Island Road comes into Hwy 431 south. Go through that traffic light and continue north on Hwy 431.  The second traffic light is at Owens Cross Roads. Turn left and you will be on Wilson Mann road.  From this point you will follow the same instructions as anyone coming from Huntsville.  You will go about a quarter of a mile and pass the Owens Cross Roads School, coming to a dead end at the Old Hwy 431. Turn left (Baker's hardware store will be on the right corner) and go about a quarter of a mile. The house is on the left. It is an older house (cream colored with green trim). The address is 3117 Old Hwy 431. Look for the Huntsville Gourd Patch sign in the yard.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean Mann mannen@nehp.net

2012 Huntsville Gourd Patch Workshop Schedule

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Gourd Fairy Land, 2010 Scarecrow Trail

Ma and Pa Gourd, 2009 Scarecrow Trail

Old Lady who lived in a shoe, 2008 Scarecrow Trail

Ghouly Gourds, 2007 Scarecrow Trail

Indian Village, 2006 Scarecrow Trail